WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF TITHING? WHY SHOULD I TITHE?

Every individual’s purpose in tithing is to open up his/her awareness of universal laws. tithing opens you, to you. You are an unlimited individual, deprived of a fuller, richer life partly because of lack of the tithing experience and expression in life.

One needs to do it or him or herself (and family) to get into the fourth dimension (love and spiritual dimension of wholeness) that is unavailable to the unenlightened.

Tithing will help you to truly know yourself. When doing this remember to rely on God’s ability to provide, not your human ability.

WHAT RESULTS CAN I EXPECT IF I TITHE?

Tithing consciousness, at its best, allows an individual, family or business, to become successful, flourish and thrive. The Bible teaches that true prosperity includes having surplus money for your every need and desire, and peaking health to live happily, fully and confidently.

SHOULD I FEEL GUILTY ABOUT NOT TITHING?

"Guilt" – Random House Dictionary defines as "a feeling of remorse or responsibility for some offense, crime or wrong, whether real or imagined."

Therefore, feelings of guilt are counter-productive to your own greater good. Guilt is a form of self-persecution and has no positive pay-off. If you have not tithed, don’t feel guilty about it.

However, once you make your decision to tithe, stick to it!

IS IT TRUE THAT MOST OF THE BIBLE’S HEROES ARE MEN OF WEALTH?

It is absolutely true that Abraham, Isaac, Joseph, Jacob, David, Solomon and others, prospered greatly. God rewards individuals for wisely employing and maximizing their resources.

God promises prosperity, and a long, full life to all who tithe.

In Chapter 13 of Genesis, it is recorded that Abraham was "very rich in cattle, silver, and in gold; thus fulfilling God’s earlier promise...’and I will bless you and make you great.’"

Each of us can personalize and individualize God’s promise to Abraham as our own valuable and viable affirmation. In your deep meditations hear God tell you, "...and I will bless you and make you great."

Isaac is described in the 26th chapter of Genesis, as having "possessions of flocks and possessions of herds and much wealth."

In the 29th Chapter of Chronicles, the narrative tells of David’s gifts toward the construction of the temple. These gifts included one million talents of gold, two million talents of silver, together with precious stones and pearls.

Then the chiefs of the tribes matched the gifts with some of their own; five thousand talents of gold, twenty thousand talents of tin as well as brass and iron.

According to James Dean, Ph.D., author of The Keys That Unlock The Scriptures, a talent of gold at thirty-five dollars an ounce was worth $55,270.83, and a talent of silver based on $90.05 per ounce was worth $1,269.83. Now that is prosperity!

David truly understood how to use wealth wisely by "seeking first the Kingdom" and having all (good) things added unto him. David told Solomon:

"And keep the charge of the Lord and walk in his ways and keep his statutes... that you may prosper in all that you do and succeed wherever you go."

Solomon obviously accepted this idea because he went on to become the richest man in the world at that time.

What all of this means is that when you recognize, and use the spiritual laws of universe, you will have unlimited good at your beck-and-call. As you control your thought patterns to produce plenty and abundance, they will do just that.

SHOULD I TITHE IN SECRET OR IN THE OPEN?

Tithing primarily is a private affair between you and God (your good). Let your conscience be your guide as to whether you want to witness to others about tithing. If it makes you feel good to share your tithing experiences with spiritually wakened others, do it.

If you talk about tithing before the spiritually unenlightened, they may ridicule you.

One of the richest men on earth, W. Clement Stone, has had a magnificent obsession of being America’s greatest philanthropist and tither. He does a tremendous amount of good and encourages others to do likewise.

When Dr. Robert Schuller interviewed W. Clement Stone about how it feels to be really rich, Stone answered, "It gives me the power to do a great deal of good."

You have the ability to do as much or more. Please do it, I am cheering you on.

SHOULD I MAKE TITHING A LIFELONG HABIT?

Absolutely, yes! Tithing is easy if it becomes a regular and systematic habit.

Give ten percent of your gross income and live on the remaining ninety percent. The first ten percent belongs to God, and practiced tithers would never dream of taking any of it.

They live intelligently in the principle and receive untold blessings, benefits and protection. They are devoted to giving, receive the multiplied returns, and are free from financial difficulty.

If you show me a person having financial difficulties I’ll show you a non-tither.

I know thousands of tithers and every one of them enjoys prosperity -- that is your spiritual right. It is God’s pleasure to give us the wisdom, if we are righteous (i.e., rightly using our mind and wisely using his principles like tithing).

Tithers may have other problems but they never are in want. We either believe that "The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want," or we don’t. I believe it, and if you really believe it you will demonstrate it.

IS TITHING ENCOURAGED THROUGHOUT THE BIBLE?

The Bible definitely prescribes tithing again and again, in the Old Testament and the New Testament. It encourages each person to make tithing a cornerstone in their lives.

Tithing ensures freedom from material cares and is essential to the development of the soul.

Throughout history many of the most successful and outstanding business people have attributed their vast successes and prosperity to obtaining and maintaining a habit of tithing.

"And all the tithe of the land, whether of the seed or the land, or of the fruit of the tree, is the Lord’s: it is holy unto the Lord." – Lev. 27:30

"Honor the Lord with thy substance, and with the first fruits of their increase, so shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst with new wind." – Prov.

When Jacob had his mystical vision of the ladder reaching into heaven he decided to adopt the practice of tithing, realizing that;

"God will be with me, and will keep me in the way that I go, and will give me bread to eat and raiment to put on so that I come again to my father’s house in peace."

The only source and supply of all good is God. Customers, clients, employers, employees, et al, are merely instruments through which God’s supply is being channeled.

WHAT HAPPENS IF I TITHE?

It is not if you tithe, after hearing or reading this message. It is when you tithe that the question becomes relevant.

The answer is simply; an individual who fulfills the law of tithing, inevitably demonstrates prosperity.

The law states that one should set aside ten percent of their gross income to the service of God. This should be given for the sake of giving, not given for the sake of getting. It is important to do it because it feels right.

Thought combined with feeling in the process of giving, guarantees that prosperity will increase by leaps and bounds until all fears of poverty disappear.

Fear of poverty causes people to stay impoverished. As Job said, "The thing I have so greatly feared has come upon me."

Tithing with head-faith and heart-faith prevents the disease called poverty, by creating a state of mental, spiritual and financial prosperity.

WHAT IS THE NECESSARY PREREQUISITE FOR TITHING?

The appropriate prerequisite for tithing is a state of mind that knows, understands, and believes that tithing works. A tither who gives in a stingy or begrudging manner receives in a stingy begrudging manner.

Tithing should not be done in a sense of superstition, fear, guilt, or with any misgivings. Such negative states of consciousness preclude any demonstrations of prosperity.

Tithing is an extremely efficient and effective act of faith. The practice of tithing will deepen your whole-hearted feeling and conviction that it works, as the miraculous results pour into your experience.

IF I HAVE CASH FLOW NOW AND DON’T TITHE, WHAT HAPPENS?

Remember always: "God is the source and supply of all good." If we don’t tithe, it means either we are ignorant of the law of tithing or we don’t believe in God’s law.

If you know you should tithe and don’t, you will reap in experience what you sow in consciousness. You may lose either what you have or its abundant flow.

It is like the automobile driver who knows the car needs oil and does not put it in. sooner or later the car stalls.

Material prosperity, no matter how vast, inevitably stalls unless spiritual prosperity underwrites its sacred flow by regular, systematic tithing.

I know of people violating this principle who have gone broke, been fired, exhausted their unemployment insurance, had their business burned out, etc.

If you have never tried tithing, give it a three-month trial period. After that, you will never again question its validity.

WHAT EXACTLY IS TITHING?

One needs to tithe ten-percent on their gross income plus all of their dividends from their investments.

Therefore, if one earns one hundred dollars, their weekly tithe should be ten dollars.

Tithing is not to general charities, philanthropies or for material giving.

A tithe is not ten percent of the amount one is able to save out of his or her income.

As a layman, I am always amazed at the church attendees who tithe one dollar and think that they have contributed their fair share. That would mean that they only earned ten dollars that week.

I’ve witnessed masses of people preventing their own greater good by not tithing faithfully and honestly with excitement and love.

Tithing is devoted to spreading the knowledge of the spiritual truths.

Until this happens, no education, social reform, or political reform will do any lasting good.

Each person needs to learn the spiritual truth and use it.

Jesus said "You shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free."

HOW OFTEN SHOULD I TITHE?

The best time to tithe is immediately upon receipt of income, whether daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly or annually.

It is easier to do a little at a time, as it arrives, than to wait and attempt a big payment. If you don’t plan to attend your spiritual center, mail a check whenever you receive income.

"Give and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over, shall men give unto your bosom. For with the same measure that you measure, it shall be measured to you again." – Luke 6:38

Tithing was obligatory according to Hebrew law and it is worthwhile to note that as long as tithing prevailed, the Hebrew nation prospered collectively and individually.

All who have ever tried it honestly and faithfully have had the same great results. Tithers have God as their financial partner and He owns the entire resources of universe.

Like attracts like, so give generously and boldly with an attitude of gratitude and your receiving will be the same.

SHOULD I WAIT UNTIL THE RECESSION IS OVER TO START TITHING?

To end your personal recession, start tithing at once, using whatever resources you have right here and right now. Tithing will facilitate the automatic improvement of your situation and circumstances.

Note that the greater your need, the more important it is to start tithing immediately. One’s problems all emanate from one’s mental attitude, disposition, mood and beliefs.

Spiritually done, tithing (done with your heart and head) always gets the desired result. Because it is done on a percentage basis, it is fair to all and the results are adjusted to the size of your problem.

IS THERE AN EVEN BIGGER CONTEXT TO TITHING THAN JUST GIVING SUPPORT?

Absolutely yes! Each individual has a God-appointed way of serving humanity. Each of us has a magnificent, usually invisible, talent which we are to recognize and maximize by giving it away.

A perfect example of an individual who is familiar to everyone, who has maximized his talents is Bob Hope. He has been in vaudeville, comedy, on Broadway, on radio and does quarterly television specials in addition to 250 one night stands per year.

He has unselfishly given of himself to make the world laugh and people love him for it. Hope has tithed his spirit, mind, body and even convinced his show business friends to do the same.

ARE THERE BONUSES TO TITHING? MOST EMBRYONIC TITHERS ARE SURPRISED TO DISCOVER:

1. Their remaining 90% goes farther and does more than the original 100% ever did.

2. Their spiritual lives deepen, become enriched and are more enlightened.

3. Tithing gives the wise and faithful servant expanded opportunities, that are a direct consequence of tithing.

4. Their faith in Universal Law becomes stronger than ever before. Those who tithe know from experience, that all of their desires are fulfilled and their life overflows with blessings.

5. Their income is forever increasing.

I WANT TO TITHE TO THE ZOO; ARE THE TITHING BENEFITS APPLICABLE?

A tithe is a give to God’s good works. While zoo’s are great, they are technically not run by churches and generally are not spiritual in orientation. So the answer is "no."

DOES TITHING TO SPECIFIC PROJECTS OF THE CHURCH COUNT AS A TITHE?

The answer is "yes." The point is that you want to become regular and systematic in your giving so that you receive in a regular and systematic way.

Churches take on special projects so that the minister and the congregation can keep on growing. If you cease to grow you begin to die.

You prosper as your soul prospers. Get excited about your church’s opportunity to grow, expand and spread the truth. Get involved totally. If you want more out of the church, put more into it.

MY HUSBAND WAS LAID OFF AND WE BARELY HAVE ENOUGH TO LIVE ON, MUCH LESS TO PAY THE BILLS. SHOULD WE TITHE?

Of course! To overcome lack consciousness and enter into prosperity you absolutely need to tithe. Tithing will expand your awareness.

Getting your husband re-employed in his right livelihood will pay the bills. You will start having surplus money and eventually pay your debts.

Poverty is a disease, it creates more misery, depression, theft and suicides than any other malady. God is rich and wants His children to be rich and prosperous.

God created this abundant world with His Word. He gives human beings similar creative word power. Speak your word to your bills, get perfect employment and total enjoyment from life.

If you really have a lot of fear about starting, do as my minister and her husband did when they started their life of tithing.

They started tithing a percentage just a little out of their "comfort level." In this case, it was three percent of their gross income. As the channels of receiving God’s abundance opened up, they would increase the percentage of tithing.

Each time they would feel comfortable, they would increase their tithing another percentage point until they reached the desired ten percent.

After five years, they have now increased their tithe to over ten-percent. You can do the same!

IN MY BUSINESS, IF CASH-FLOW IS REALLY TIGHT, IS IT A "VIOLATION" TO SKIP A WEEK OF TITHING IF IT MEANS BILLS WILL GO UNPAID?

There are several possible answers. Read the following with feeling and you will hear what you need to hear now:

The Bible clearly states that you should tithe first (from the gross income), then pay your bills. By tithing first, your tight cash flow will become loose, unexpected business will arrive miraculously and save the day.

Whether you tithe or you don’t tithe, you get to pay your bills. By tithing as prescribed repeatedly in the Bible, you literally open the flood gates of heaven to at tend to your every financial need. If you don’t tithe, you shut off the invisible system (God’s infinite intelligence) because you miss your deserved blessings.

Businessmen who tithe such as Andrew Carnegie, make a written covenant with God and say, "I’ll earn money the first half of my life and then attend to tithing and charity the second half of my life to do the most good and the least harm with my money."

Perhaps your trust bond to God is this clear. If not, write one now.

HOW DOES SEED MONEY WHICH GOES BEYOND MY TITHING WORK?

Seed money is likened to the water one leaves at a deep water well to prime the pump to get the water flowing. Every user pumps out what they need and leaves a bucket-full behind to seed the next flow of water.

Tithing in this analogy is the building of the well itself. The well was built and exists for all to freely and regularly use – it keeps on keeping on. Seed water or money, just helps you to start the flow.

WHEN ONE CANNOT TITHE, DOES THE "NOT GIVING ACTION" WORK AGAINST HIM OR HER?

One can always do whatever one really wants to do. If you want to give – give!

Let’s say a wife wants to tithe and her husband opposes the idea. She should start to tithe out of her allowance, play money or earnings.

Not giving always precedes and determines – ultimately and inevitably – not receiving. Tithing guarantees a predetermined positive financial result.

WHY IS A TITHE ONE-TENTH? WHY NOT ONE-SIXTEENTH, ONE-EIGHTH OR ONE-FOURTH?

A tithe is biblically based and written by the enlightened servants of God. The tithe (or tenth) is easy to calculate, could be figured out on one’s fingers and understood effortlessly by all schooled in rudimentary mathematics.

CAN I TITHE MORE THAN TEN PERCENT?

Yes indeed! Malachi 3:8 speaks of "tithes and offerings." A tithe is ten percent and an offering goes beyond that.

There is an old cliché that says if you need something give some of it away. Therefore, if you need money, give money tithes and offerings. If you need time, give some of your time to a church, hospital, convalescent home; read to the blind or join Meals on Wheels, Big Brothers or some similar organization.

If you take itemized deductions on your individual income tax return, versus the standard deduction, the IRS will allow an itemized tax deduction for up to fifty percent of one’s adjusted gross income, given to religious and charitable enterprises that have applied to the IRS for exempt status. Contact your Tax Consultant for more details and other limits.

The above means that the government (IRS) and Jesus support your giving. Jesus said, "Give unto Caesar that which belongs to Caesar (i.e., taxes) and give to God that which is God’s (tithes and love offerings)."

Tithing is not and never has been an ending place.

It is a beginning place. It stimulates the law of circulation to operate. A tithe is not a debt we owe, but a seed we sow!

BUT I DON’T HAVE ANYTHING TO GIVE!

Everyone has something to give, or God wouldn’t tell you to give. You either have time, effort, consciousness, or items you no longer need or want (do some spring house cleaning, no matter what season it is) that you can sell or donate, or you have money.

God requests that you give so that you open up new channels to receive. The only time God can multiply back more good into your life and the lives of others, is when you give.

Your life is important to God and He would not play with something as important as you. When you are giving you are living; when you are caring, you are sharing all the good you have.

Giving is not a debt, but a seed that guarantees our future harvest. Jesus said, "The harvest truly is great, but the laborers are few." – St. Luke 10:2

WHY DOES TITHING WORK?

Tithing works because it works from inside you.

It changes your belief that life is about taking, to a new understanding that life is about giving.

Giving guarantees receiving. It always has and it always will. What is amazing is that giving expands your spirituality, especially when you give in the spirit of love, joy and cheerfulness from an unselfish heart.

God is everyone’s source.

Individuals and opportunities are merely channels or instruments of supply. Rest assured that God’s great resourcefulness will miraculously find its way back to you in many unexpected, bountiful ways.

HOW IMPORTANT IS THE SPIRIT OF GIVING?

The spirit of giving means everything.

Money gifts, in and of themselves, are neutral, they are neither good or bad...your thinking makes it so.

However, a gift given with the attitude of gratitude and with the spirit of expectancy always gets a bountiful return. Remember, God is the Source.

Give before you receive, and expect a miraculous return. You and I are to give expecting to help others and ourselves in multiplied ways.

WHAT HAPPENS IF I GIVE AND DON’T RECEIVE?

Check yourself out with this simple test:

1. Do I recognize God as my source and supply of all good?

2. Am I tithing regularly and with a system? Do I tithe when I receive income of any kind, at the beginning of projects and at their successful conclusion?

3. Am I truly expecting to receive? Am I awake to all the possible channels that are trying to give me surplus good?

Write out your answers to these three questions – privately – then ask your spouse or someone close to you (someone you trust) to respond to the same questions. It might enlighten you. Basically, it’s simple to receive more from life and give more to life.

CAN YOU DEFER THE PAYMENT OF YOUR TITHES TO A FUTURE TIME?

Most individuals need the security of tithing in the sweet here and now, to feel and know that their good is circulating freely and easily into their ever present now. However, men like Andrew Carnegie, Henry Ford and John D. Rockefeller all had prayerful covenants with God.

Each of their memoirs state that they asked God to help them realize their fullest potential and they would remember God and over tithe out of the ever increasing abundance.

Each did help churches and were individually phenomenal philanthropists who ultimately funded foundations to directly and indirectly be "...about your Father’s business."

Carnegie founded and funded the American free library system.

The Rockefeller and Ford Foundations are both multi-billion dollar enterprises attempting to serve the health and educational needs of humanity’s less fortunate people.

WHAT IS THE BEST TITHING DEMONSTRATION YOU’VE EVER HEARD?

Larry Gates, formerly a fund raiser for Dr. Robert Schuller, told me that John Crean, founder and CEO of Fleetwood International, publicly gave (tithed) twelve million dollars worth of ranch stock to Dr. Schuller’s ministry.

Fleetwood stock jumped three times the same day because the U.S. Government simultaneously announced that they were putting a lot of money into modular housing, which is Fleetwood’s specialty.

You may call this a coincidence. I don’t think so.

I heard Mr. Crean interviewed by Dr. Schuller and he stated that when he was young he had a friend who told him that in life, "There are winners and losers. Winners are givers and losers are takers."

He chose to be a winner and he now says he tithes thirty percent of his gross income.

I BELIEVE ALL THE UNIVERSE IS GOD’S CHURCH, SO CAN I GIVE TO THE HUNGRY AND THE POOR RATHER THAN BUILDING ANOTHER UNNECESSARY CHURCH BUILDING?

It is stated above, what the Bible says. However, fifty percent of Americans do not attend any church and probably have similar feelings to those expressed above.

In-so-far as God is omni-present throughout the universe, it is better to give somewhere than not give at all. Each of us has an intrinsic need to give. Jesus said, "That which you have done to the least of my children, you have done unto me."

Therefore, it is good to aid and assist the hungry and the poor. If possible, help them to learn the principles so they can then help themselves.

The concept of a hand-up rather than a handout is the right idea.

The oft-quoted phrase, "If you feed a person a fish you feed him/her for a day. If you teach a person to fish, you feed him/her for a lifetime."

Be into teaching these principles. I have known several individuals who have been so inspired and helped by the ideas of Napoleon Hill’s Think and Grow Rich, that they individually have given thousands of copies in hopes of teaching principles in a useable way.

Also, please read Ralph Waldo Emerson’s essay on the "Law of Compensation". It will show you that it is impossible to give without sooner or later receiving in kind. It proves that giving does not cause you to have less, but in fact, guarantees that ultimately and inevitably you will have more.

The law of compensation pays you back in multiple returns. While the principle is invisible, it is forever working.

We must feed the physical human food, before we can serve him or her with higher levels of spiritual awareness.

In a magazine interview in Personal Selling Power, March 1983 issue, Dr. Wayne Dyer, best selling author, says,

"Everyone who knows me knows that for every dollar that I spend on myself, I spend ten on other people. I always have been generous to a fault.

There are a lot of things I do because I feel they are helpful to other people. I see myself as a giver. I give a lot of money to charity. I spend a lot of my time helping unfortunate people learn the tithing principles and show them empirically through recognition of their own demonstration that it works."

Reaching others by teaching others will enrich you and the world. If everyone learned and practiced tithing there would be no more lack of any kind.

With children, the principle is easy to teach. It is also much easier to start this practice by tithing ten cents out of every dollar when you are young rather than waiting until you have $1,000,000 and saying that you will then give $100,000.

I am sure that if you start small, you can ever grow tall in giving.

IF I DON’T HAVE ANY MONEY, HOW CAN I GIVE?

Everyone has something to give. Think about volunteering your time and energy. When you give, miracles happen in your life.

You can support worthy causes. Visit a convalescent home, befriend the elderly, assist in a children’s cancer ward, give time to the Special Olympics or go to any hospital and offer your services.

These activities do not have to be long term commitments, but are sure to cure depression and make you feel better about yourself.

I JUST HEARD ABOUT TITHING. TO WHOM SHOULD I GIVE?

Follow your heart and give to the spiritual group that resonates positively and constructively to what you believe is "...true, honest and of good report..."Give to the person, place or thing that serves you, or that you feel greatly serves others.

Visit a variety of churches and pick the minister, not the church building, not the denomination, not necessarily what your parents did, or what someone else said.

Be still and listen to your inner-knower. It will tell you what is right for you, in the quiet stillness of your prayer, meditation and spiritual retreats.

Pick the minister, priest or Rabbi who leads you to ever greater and deeper spiritual truth and understanding.

When I was at the university, I decided to take the teacher, not the subject. A great and inspiring teacher or preacher can make any subject come alive and be meaningful, relevant and lead your personal growth, development and fulfillment to new heights.

Once you’ve located your spiritual mentor, support him or her financially, mentally, spiritually, emotionally and even physically. Befriend your new spiritual spigot of enlightenment, enlivenment, and enrichment. Attend church and its many activities, volunteer your assistance, take classes, go to spiritual retreats, convent ions and growth meetings. Your life will blossom and bloom in magnificent new ways.

One final suggestion, make sure your choice of ministers or spiritual teachers have great plans to do phenomenal amounts of good to the benefit of all humanity. Get into giving and your receiving shall be totally and absolutely ensured by God’s invisible bank accounts.